


It’s Gonna Be Lit

by Pawprinter



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Gift Giving, Iron Dad, Platonic Relationships, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:28:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21914461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pawprinter/pseuds/Pawprinter
Summary: What Christmas gift does one get for the man who seemingly has everything?Peter is struggling to find out.
Relationships: Harley Keener & Peter Parker, Harley Keener & Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker & Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 91
Collections: Iron Dad Secret Santa 2019





	It’s Gonna Be Lit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WingsWithoutStrings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingsWithoutStrings/gifts).



> Happy holidays! This fic is written as part of the [Iron Dad Secret Santa 2019](https://irondadsecretsanta.tumblr.com) hosted on Tumblr. I just so happened to be the one running the event, and this idea had been kicking around my brain for AGES. This is written for [thwippin-churros](https://thwippin-churros.tumblr.com) on Tumblr. I hope you enjoy.

“You’re impossible, did you know that?”

Peter trudged into the lab, his shoulders slumped with dejection. His backpack hung off of his arm and dragged along the ground, his winter coat was skewed, and partially melted snow dotted his hair.

Tony glanced up from the book he was reading and let out a short bark of laughter when he noticed just how disheveled Peter looked.

“Geez, kid, what happened to you?” He tried to suppress his laughter when Peter glared at him.

“I just want to let you know that you are  _ impossible  _ to shop for, Mr. Stark,” he complained. He sunk into the chair opposite of Tony and let his head fall to the desk in front of him. “I’m dead. I’m officially dead. The holiday season has ended me.”

“It’s barely begun,” Tony pointed out.

“Uh, Mr. Stark? It’s December 20th. The holiday season has been  _ happening  _ for a while now — it’s almost over, actually.”

“You always keep me on my toes,” he commented, reaching over and ruffling Peter’s hair. He swatted his hand away and scowled. “Ouch, kid. You’re wounding me.”

“You know what wounds me? The fact that you’re impossible to shop for.” His head popped up and he straightened his hair. “I swear, Mr. Stark, it’s physically impossible to figure out what to get you for Christmas.”

“Well, apparently it’s five days away from Christmas, so you probably should’ve been thinking of presents before now.”

Peter glared at his teasing. “I  _ have  _ been. You’re my last to shop for, and I’ve been  _ actively  _ shopping for you for the last two weeks. When I say you’re impossible, I mean it.” He pouted. “It’s embarrassing, really. It’s putting a dent in my ego.”

Tony snorted. “Kid, you don’t have an ego. You’re the most humble human I know.”

“Still.” He huffed and rested his chin on his palm. “I’m supposed to be really good at giving gifts. It’s something I pride myself on. I  _ always  _ get people good gifts, and it’s like… my only talent.”

Tony deadpanned. “You have plenty of talents, but  _ sure.  _ I’ll entertain you and go along with what you’re saying.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had to ask someone what they want for Christmas — or for their birthday either,” Peter continued, “so you can imagine how horrible this is.”

“What is?”

He sighed dramatically. Tony almost had to laugh. “What do you want for Christmas?”

Tony  _ did  _ laugh at that, which only made Peter scowl harder. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… You just look —  _ god  _ — you look so upset right now. Which is  _ not  _ funny, but I mean…” He barely contained his laughs. “I can’t believe you’re this upset over something like this!” Peter pulled his hood over his head and fell to the desk again. “I hate to tell you this, kid, but I don’t need anything.”

His head flew up, his eyes wide and frantic. “What!?”

He leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “Yeah, I mean… I don’t need anything for Christmas. Just being surrounded by people I love — my family —  _ that’s  _ the only gift I need.”

Peter wrinkled his nose. “That’s the most Dad thing you’ve ever said. Ever.” Tony beamed at that and it made Peter’s mood crumble away. “But that’s exactly my issue. I can’t think of  _ anything  _ to buy you that you don’t already own. Some kids have it easy, like, just buy their dad a tie or something, but  _ you own wayyyyyy more of those than either of us could count.”  _ Tony’s grin widened, and Peter suspected it was due to the fact he referred to him as ‘dad.’ That was still a new thing for them. “Oh, and, technology? There’s not even a point to me walking in the Apple store because there’s a 100% chance you have something better that you made yourself!”

Tony’s eyes narrowed. “Do you need a new phone? Is that why you’re in the Apple store? Because, it just so happens that—”

“Not the point, Mr. Stark,” Peter said quickly. Tony’s facade melted and he grinned. “I know you said you don’t want anything, but… I don’t know. I feel weird not getting you something.”

“Well, don’t. Your present can be us spending time together doing something fun. We could watch a movie? You probably haven’t seen  _ Home Alone,  _ have you? It’s a classic.”

Peter chucked an eraser at his head. “Of course I’ve seen it. Geez, I’m sixteen, not six.”

“Right, right.” Tony was clearly having too much fun teasing his protege. “You’d probably just call it ‘that really old movie that would’ve been solved by cell phones,’ right?”

Peter gestured wildly. “But it  _ would’ve  _ been solved by cell phones!” His energy drained from him again, leaving him looking defeated. “Are  _ you  _ getting me a present?”

“Of course. It’s Christmas and you’re my kid. Making you happy makes me happy.”

Peter pouted. “That’s how I feel, too. I like giving gifts because it makes other people happy. And I really like picking things out, or making someone something unique, and figuring out what to do for everyone I care about. It’s fun.” He laughed. “The best part of Christmas for me isn’t  _ getting  _ gifts; it’s  _ giving  _ them.”

Tony’s smile was lopsided and filled with pride. He reached across the work desk and gave Peter’s arm a brief squeeze. “You truly are a wonder, kid.” Peter couldn’t help but beam at the compliment. “If that’s the case, then ask Pepper, maybe? She’s always been good at figuring out what to give me.”

Peter was refilled with energy at the idea. He jumped up from the workbench and took off with one last wave over his shoulder.

.

“Let me guess; you can’t figure out what to get Tony for Christmas?” 

Pepper was busy hanging Christmas decorations around the central living room when Peter found her. He didn’t even need to speak one word for her to know what was on his mind.

He stepped up beside her, his lips parted. “How’d you know?”

Together, they continued to hang decorations on the walls.

“Because I know how impossible it is to shop for Tony,” she said. “I’ve been there. The first year that I worked for him, I tried to look for something small to give him.” She laughed. “But what are you supposed to get the man who has seemingly everything?”

Peter felt so understood that he almost tackled Pepper with a hug. “Exactly!” he exclaimed. Tension he didn’t know he was carrying melted from his shoulders. “And if he wants something, he’ll get it for himself  _ before  _ Christmas!”

“He’d never ask for something he wants,” she agreed. “Trust me, he’s  _ impossible  _ to shop for. I was wondering if you figured out something I hadn’t. I expected you would’ve pulled out half your hair at this point.”

Peter rubbed his head. “Trust me, it’s getting there.” He grabbed another candle from the box and set it down on the mantle. “What do you do? How do you shop for him?”

“I don’t. Not really, anyways.” Pepper turned fully to Peter. He couldn’t recall a time where she looked so mischievous and happy before. “I found out pretty quickly that Tony’s favourite presents are ones that  _ make memories, _ not  _ stuff.  _ He has enough stuff that he’s accumulated on his own.  Of course, he’d love and appreciate whatever people get him, but the gifts he still talks about to this day are things that he got to make memories with.”

Peter was confused. “So… like…?”

“Once, I took him rock climbing at a gym uptown. He  _ still  _ talks about how I nearly dropped him when I was belaying him, and how that was the most terrifying moment of his life.” She rolled her eyes affectionately. “Dramatic, but true. I did almost drop him.  _ Almost.”  _ She waved her hand in dismissal. “Regardless if he almost died or not, he still talks about it. He doesn’t still talk about the mug I bought him that said  _ I’m a Ho Ho Ho for the holidays.”  _ Peter struggled with holding back his laughter. “The point is, he’d love anything from you. You could get him  _ nothing  _ and he’d still be just as happy.”

“That’s what he told me.”

“I’m sure you being here for Christmas is a big enough gift for him,” she said. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it, hon. If it comes from you, he’d adore it.”

Peter spent the rest of the afternoon decorating with Pepper and brainstorming ideas.

* * *

The next five days were a flurry of activity. He helped May bake, he and Pepper met up in secret several times to makes sure his gift with through, he watched the complete  _ Home Alone  _ series with Tony (yes, including the terrible sequels that didn’t include the original cast).

He was ecstatic when he finally came up with a gift for Tony, and immediately enlisted Pepper’s help to pull it off. She seemed to think it was a good idea too, and she was excited about it, which only made Peter  _ more  _ excited. 

When Christmas morning rolled around, he was a bundle of nerves because—

_ Please, please, please let this present work out. _

Him and May both spent the night at the Compound so the four of them could celebrate Christmas together. Peter loved how well the three adults in his life got along, and he loved how they all felt like family.

Peter’s stomach was twisted with nerves when he came into the main living room — the one he helped decorate with Pepper. Tony and Pepper were already sitting on one couch together, cups of coffee in their hands.

“Merry Christmas, Pete.” Tony pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head when he sat down. He mumbled a greeting in return and tried to stealthily catch Pepper’s eye.

They made eye contact when Tony leaned forward to place his coffee cup on the table. Peter lifted his eyebrows in question. His heart was pounding in his chest. Pepper’s lips twitched the slightest bit and she nodded.

They were good to go.

Peter let out a breath of air at that and sunk back into the couch. He felt relieved at Pepper’s confirmation, but a new worry was bubbling up inside of him.

_ Would Tony like his gift? _

He followed Pepper’s advice and did something that would make memories. He didn’t buy him anything materialistic, because he bought everything he needed and wanted himself. What he was planning on giving Tony truly came from the heart. He  _ thought  _ Tony was going to like it, but—

“You alright, Pete? You’re kind of… out of it.” Tony’s eyebrows were pushed together with concern as he studied him. 

Peter snapped out of his daze and forced out a smile. He hoped it looked believable. 

“I’m good. Just tired, I guess. I didn’t sleep much last night.”

Tony’s concern melted away. “I thought you were a little too old to be waiting up for Santa?” he teased.

“You’re never too old to wait up for Santa,” he said, playing along.

It wasn’t too much later that May showed up, a steaming cup of coffee in her hands and her housecoat tied around her waist. As soon as the four of them were seated around the living room and had woken up a fair amount, they dove into the presents.

Peter couldn’t believe the gifts he received. They ranged from new tools to bring home that were an exact replica of the tools he used in Tony’s lab, a wide array of unreleased Stark Tech items, some of his highly requested LEGO sets, and tickets to see the new Star Wars movie (for the third time). 

Pepper and May seemed to like the gifts they received from Peter. There was a special enjoyment that came with watching an expression of shock and joy as Pepper unwrapped her gift. May had already been accustomed to Peter’s gifting abilities, and watched fondly as Pepper gushed over a new photo album Peter put together for her.

When it came for Tony to open his gifts, the nervousness returned. Peter wrung his hands together and Tony shook the box beside his ear, a child-like giddiness filling his eyes.

“It’s not fragile, is it?”

Pepper thwacked him on the upper arm. “You should’ve asked that  _ before  _ you shook the box.” He managed to look guilty, but only slightly.

“Yes and no.” 

Peter glanced at Pepper for encouragement and she sent him a thumbs up. Tony must’ve caught it out of the corner of his eye because his jaw dropped and he whipped his head towards her.

“You  _ know  _ what Peter got me for Christmas?! And you didn’t  _ tell me!?” _

Pepper rolled her eyes, but couldn’t hide her smile. “Don’t look at me. Peter did all of this on his own; he just asked me for a few tips.”

“Just open it,” he said quickly. He couldn’t take the wait anymore. It was  _ agony. _

Tony laughed at his eagerness, but complied. He peeled the wrapping paper from the box and opened the flaps. When he saw what was inside, his face broke into a wide grin and he let out a short laugh. 

“Oh my god,” he breathed and pulled out the green-knit sweater. He flipped it around so he could read what was embroidered on the front. A string of Christmas lights was stitched into the fabric and the words  _ ‘It’s Gonna Be Lit’  _ stitched underneath it. At seeing the ridiculous design, he laughed harder. “I love it! Thanks, Pete.”

When Tony looked up from the front of the sweater, he  _ somehow  _ managed to find the strength to laugh even harder. He doubled over and clutched at his sides from the force of it, and Peter struggled not to join him. While he had been wearing a simple t-shirt moments before, he now wore an identical  _ ‘It’s Gonna Be Lit’  _ sweater.

“I thought, since I’m always stealing your sweaters, this time we can match,” Peter offered. He bit his lip to keep his laughter at bay.

“We’re twinning,” Tony said between laughs. He glanced at Peter and he recognized the mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Right? That’s what the kids are calling it these days?”

“Please, for all things good in the world, never say that again,” Peter said quickly. “And, no, we won’t be twinning. Twinning is  _ two  _ people.”

“But… me… you… that’s two?”

“We’re tripletting,” Peter continued.

Tony’s eyebrows pushed together and looked at Peter like he was sprouting a second head. 

He couldn’t take it anymore — they were so close. He was practically vibrating from excitement.

“Kid,” Tony began, “what’s going on?”

Finally —  _ finally  _ — Peter saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Tony caught sight of it too, as his head whipped around to the threshold of the living room. Standing against the doorframe was none of than Harley Keener, clad in a green  _ ‘It’s Gonna Be Lit’  _ sweater.

“Surprise!” Peter cheered, leaping up from the couch. Tony’s eyes were wide and jaw slack as he took in the appearance of the not-so-little-kid from Tennessee. “This is your actual Christmas gift. Miss Potts helped me.”

Tony was too shocked to move, never mind form a coherent sentence. His eyes flipped back and forth between Peter and Harley, who stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the Christmas tree. Peter’s heart was pounding because  _ this  _ was not the reaction he was expecting.

“I… I think we broke Mr. Stark,” he said.

Harley leaned towards him. “I  _ told  _ you he won’t remember me! It was like, eleven years ago, and—”

“Hold that thought right there, kid,” Tony said, standing up from the couch. He pointed at Peter. “You— You did this?”

“I mean… Yeah.” He shrugged and shuffled his feet awkwardly. “Pepper gave me the advice to get you something that will make memories, and I remember you mentioning a few months back that you wanted to get back into regular contact with Harley, so… You know… I arranged for him to come up here for Christmas.”

“Which would’ve been a good idea if the old man remembered me.” Harley slung his arm around Peter’s shoulders and sighed dramatically. “Alas, I must make my way back to—”

“Ohhhh no.” Tony moved forward and clamped a hand down on Harley’s shoulders. “Of  _ course  _ I remember you, kid! You’re just… older.”

Harley straightened and grinned wickedly when he realized he had a few inches on his mentor. “And  _ taller.  _ Look at that, Tony, you’re the one looking up to me now!” 

“It’s more of an arrangement and a surprise than a gift, really,” Peter explained. “Gifting Harley would be weird, you know? And like… wrong. You know how you shouldn’t give puppies as Christmas gifts because— You know what? Never mind.” Peter chewed his lip nervously. He was rambling. “Do you like it? I know it’s a big surprise, but Pepper told me that it was a good idea, and she said—”

Tony turned his gaze to his. “What’s the return policy.”

Peter sputtered. “The— The  _ what!?”  _

“The return policy,” he repeated, his eyes studying Harley critically. “That’s what people ask when they’re buying Christmas gifts, right? They figure out the return policy. What if I don’t  _ like  _ him.”

Harley let out a loud laugh and pushed Tony playfully.  _ “Hilarious,”  _ he commented drly. “So funny that I almost forgot to laugh.”

“I’m kidding,” he assured Peter. “This is… wow. I really wasn’t expecting this!” His expression softened. “Thank you, Pete. I couldn’t ask for a better gift than to spend Christmas with my favourite young adults.”

Peter beamed. He had been worried that Tony wouldn’t be happy that Harley was visiting — it had been so long since they spoke. He was worried he was overstepping by inviting Harley to New York for Christmas, but Pepper assured him it was fine. Harley didn’t seem to mind the phone call either; when Peter uttered the words ‘Christmas in New York,’ the older boy was already shouting about it being ‘exactly like  _ Home Alone 2.’  _ And, when Harley got into the city, it turned out they had a lot in common and got along really well.

Tony pulled both Harley and Peter into a bone crushing hug, not having the ability to choose which one to hug first. 

Maybe choosing the right gift for Tony  _ wasn’t  _ as impossible as he thought it would be.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Comments and kudos are appreciated!!
> 
> [Find me on Tumblr!](https://pawprinterfanfic.tumblr.com)  
> 


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